Power of the imagination
by eccentricrabbit
Summary: MulderScully. Mulder and Scully go to a small town to investigate a serial murder. Not much of a summary, I know.
1. Chapter One

**Title:** Power of the imagination

**Author:** Temperance Brennan

**Summary:** Mulder/Scully - I can't really write a summary without ruining it… So just read the first chapter and see if you like it.

**Rating:** M

**Authors Note:** Okay, It's probably not written all that well, I don't claim to be a good writer – but I just came up with an idea for a killer like this, and I had to write it down.

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own the x files.

**Chapter One:**

Tricia watched her five year old daughter leave out the apartment door; she had her phone cradled between her ear and shoulder, and her arms were filled with various toys she'd been collecting from all over the house. This school break was hell so far, her daughter Rachel had never been so messy, and so _bored_ before.

"Rach, come back here!" She called, trying to keep her mouth away from the phone. She could imagine her friend wincing as her loud voice cut into her ear on the other end of the line. "Sorry, Mandy I'll have to call you back. Rachel's run off again. I don't know what I'm going to do with that child…" She chuckled lightly along with her friend, and dropped the toys to the floor and hung up the phone, leaving it on the kitchen counter.

"Rachel?" She said as she stepped out into the hall. The only reply she received was a loud shriek. She panicked at the sound, and made a dash for the stairwell. Rachel stood halfway down looking up, eyes big and face pale – she was petrified.

"M-m-mommy," Rachel said pointing a shaking hand towards the bottom of the stairwell. "H-he wants to kill us."

Tricia quickly snatched her daughter up, looking around for any sign of somebody, on seeing nobody she made a quick dash back to her apartment, slamming the door and locking it, ignoring Rachel's wails for the moment, she dropped her onto the couch and snatched up the phone.

She _hated_ being a single mom when it came times like this. She'd heard on the news, about single moms and their children vanishing, or turning up mutilated. With a shaking hand, she dialed the number for the police. It took her a long time to realise that there was absolutely no sound coming from the phone. She looked around the quickly darkening apartment and realised that the phone wire had been cut. She scrambled around the floor around the couch looking for her handbag. "Help mom find her cell phone Rachel."

"Mommy, MOMMY! Mommy I CAN'T MOVE!" Tricia turned around to see her daughter sitting stiffly, and twisting her head from side to side, but somehow unable to move her arms or legs. "Mommy," the poor girl began to sob. Tricia looked around the room in terror.

"Who's there, who's doing this? SHOW YOURSELF!" She wasn't feeling brave, but she somehow felt as though she was doing something to help her daughter by _pretending_ to be brave – maybe the killer would be frightened off if she threatened him. "I'll kill you, _I will._"

She picked up a large vase from her table. And spun around, scanning the darkness, and seeing no movement whatsoever, until suddenly her arm began moving by itself, no matter how much she struggled to stop it, it just kept coming closer and closer to her face, she dropped the vase from her free hand with a crash and frantically pulled at her arm, she panicked so that she began tearing at her arm with her nails.

"No, No! This isn't happening…" a sharp pain in her belly caused her to fall to the ground, and her arm was suddenly in her control again, but now her legs refused to move. "Don't hurt my daughter you sick bastard," she whispered, barely able to stay conscious for the pain. She tried to see in the dark, to see what he had done to her – but it was just too dark, and the pain too horrendous to move. One short scream from her daughter, and then everything went black.


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two:**

Scully sat staring at the photos, feeling a pain in her chest at the thought of how terrified this mother and her child must have been. She could not, for the life of her figure out why the medical examiner hadn't determined a weapon yet. It was obviously a knife wound, how else would you slice someone like that?

She read the case file, and apparently there were five stab wounds, post mortem and her uterus had been removed – though it hadn't been determined whether she was alive or not at the time. Once she'd finished reading the case file, she sat staring at the words, letting them blur as her mind raced over possibilities. Nothing strange or outrageous like Mulder would come up with, no this was just a typical serial killer. She turned all the photos over, unable to look at them anymore.

She was glad that the little girl hadn't suffered as much as her mom, but disgusted that _anyone_ could kill a child, let alone an innocent human being. The little girl seemed to have no wounds on her; she had been suffocated by the pillow. A terrible death in itself, but it seemed the mother had bled to death. How could _anyone_ do this? She felt tears prick her eyes, and she closed them tightly, willing images of the victims to disappear.

--

"Scully, you okay?"

"Mulder…! Don't creep up on me like that." She admonished, clutching a hand to her chest in fright. She'd been resting her head in her hands waiting for him to return from lunch so she could give him the case to read over.

She silently handed it over, and he dropped himself heavily into his chair. She moved hers a little closer, and watched his reaction. If he was annoyed she was staring, he said nothing. Though after a minute or so of reading, his jaw muscle twitched once, twice, three times – he was definitely agitated.

He slammed the case file down, and looked at her, with horror in his eyes – she was sure her eyes matched his at this moment. "Four woman and four children already…? No weapon, no forensic evidence _whatsoever?_" He rubbed his eyes, and stood abruptly. "I guess we're going to… The town of-" he checked the file. "-Trinity."

"I guess we are," she agreed and gathered up the case file and photos. "I already spoke to AD Skinner. He say's we can leave whenever." She waved the bureau credit card in his face. "It seems it's not only us who are disgusted over this case."

"It's always worse when it's children." Mulder said, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously, and grabbing the things he would need. "Should we go in the morning? I don't think we'll be able to get a flight tonight."

"Is there even an airport in Trinity? Even an airfield…?"

"Oh, good point." He took out a book, and searched for the town. "Wow." He looked up surprised. "It's a small town too…" He locked his eyes onto hers, and he didn't have to say anymore. So many deaths in a small town, over only a couple of months, case was going to be _very_ stressful. She looked at the map over his shoulder.

"I think we'll be driving then," she followed a road with her finger, and he nodded grabbing her hand when she pulled away and squeezing it, he looked into her eyes again, searching her eyes to make sure she was going to be okay with this. She did the same thing; and then released his hand with a smile that said 'I'll be fine,' and she left the office, knowing he would call her when he'd organised everything.


	3. Chapter Three

**Authors Note:** _I don't really know whether or not I should continue this. Please if you're reading this let me know… And thank you to my reviewers! This has quite a bit of Mulder/Scully in it… So it's a bit fluffy. But I'll be getting on with the case soon. I just couldn't resist. Oh and the chapters are a little short, but there's some longer ones coming._

**Chapter Three:**

Mulder laid awake, thoughts wandering from the case, to Scully, to the case again, until finally he sat up, and gave up on sleeping. To his surprise, not five minutes after he'd decided to stay awake, the phone beside his bed began ringing.

"Mulder,"

"Mulder, it's me." How many times had he heard her say that? He smiled.

"Guess you can't sleep either," he said seriously.

"Yeah, god we've done a fair share of shocking, and disgusting cases – but something about this case really scares me." He heard her sigh loudly on the other end of the phone. He heard her take in a few quick breaths, and it was then he realised she'd either _been_ crying or she _was_ crying.

"Scully,"

"Mm,"

"Do you want me to come over?"

"If you like…" Of course she would never admit to being upset.

"We'll just go from your house later," he said thinking aloud.

"Okay," she sounded relieved, and he was glad he could make her feel a little better. But truthfully, he needed her as much as she needed him right now.

--

She opened her door, and resisted the urge to fling herself at him. She was in need of some sort of comfort right now. Their last case was horrific as it was, and now this case? Not even a week after… She was certain she was going to need therapy at this rate.

She shut the door after him and followed him to her couch, and dropped next to him. His arm snaked around her waist pulling her closer. She rested her head against his shoulder, and let out another sigh. She was so lucky to have him as a friend, you couldn't wish for a better friend. In her mind, she emphasised the word friend, and tried not to smirk.

"Thanks Mulder,"

"It's okay Scully," he didn't admit that having her against him was calming him a little; somehow having her in his arms always did that.

--

"Are you sure this is the place?" Scully asked, looking around the city. Everything looked so clean, so perfect. They were in a little city, with shops bustling with customers, and children playing on a playground, squealing in excitement. There were no old buildings with peeling paint, or rubbish in the gutters, there were no dark alleys, just a _perfect_ little city.

The police station was a large brick building, they found a parking space easily, and jumped simultaneously out of the way as a little girl on a bicycle whizzed past them on the pavement. An officer standing outside the building yelled something like "Watch where you're going Lizzie," and Scully smiled.

"Hi, my names Officer Clyde," he grinned and held out his hand, first to Mulder then Scully. "Sorry about my daughter, she's just learnt to ride her bike – and she's very excited about it."

"Agent Mulder, and Agent Scully," Mulder said taking out their badges to identify themselves.

"How old is she?" Scully asked, smiling as she watched Lizzie carefully park her purple bike at the bottom of the stairs, and come running up to her dad.

"Did you see me Daddy? I went _real_ fast!"

"I know sweetie, but you have to watch for people. You apologise to Agent Scully and Agent Mulder." Lizzie peered worriedly up at the agents faces.

"I'm sorry,"

"It's alright," Scully said with a soft smile just for the little girl. Mulder knew Scully was good with children, but Lizzie seemed to have melted her heart right away. Mulder grinned at the girl, and turned back to her father.

"Would we be able to visit the apartment? I suppose it's too late for Scully to examine the bodies?"

"Yes, it's been a week since-" he looked disgusted, and didn't finish his sentence. "I'll give you the address, but we just don't have enough officers for anyone to go with you today. I'll take you tomorrow, but I know you'll be anxious to get a look first… He handed them a key, and directions to the apartment building.

"Thank you," Mulder said, and Scully raised an eye brow at him. "You don't want to check out the apartment?"

"No, I just wish I could examine the bodies. I feel a little helpless," she admitted.

**TBC.**


	4. Chapter Four

**Authors Note: **There's quite a bit of MSR in here, mostly later in the chapter. But I haven't gone into much more of the case. This is a fairly long chapter compared to the others anyway… Hope you like, please R&R, I want to know what you think!

**Chapter Four:**

Mulder opened the apartment door slowly, not really sure what he was expecting to find. Scully edged around him and into the apartment, because he just stood frozen in the doorway. She covered her mouth and turned and smacked straight into his chest. He hugged her close. He'd never really seen Scully react like this at a crime scene, and it made him worry, not for the first time since they'd read the case file. What if she got too close on this case?

"I'm sorry," she muttered, embarrassed, she pulled herself from his grasp, and turned around. Even though she wasn't facing him, he knew she was putting on a brave face, she always did. "I'm just a bit tired after our long car trip and all…"

"Do you want to wait until tomorrow?" She shook her head, and walked further in. A pile of toys sat where someone had left them, and a walk phone lay on the floor where the mother had most likely dropped it. Scully looked around and noticed the phone line had been cut. She shuddered to think how utterly terrified and helpless Tricia must have felt when she realised she couldn't contact anyone to help her.

"Why do you think the killer chooses single moms?" She questioned, looking to the floor where a large puddle of blood had soaked into the carpet, a few splatters of blood on the white walls. She looked to the couch; she recognised it from the crime scene photos. It was where the little girl had been sitting when she was strangled.

"I have given it a great deal of thought about that. I've come to the conclusion it's a father, who's lost a custody battle… Maybe he sees his ex-wife and child in every one of these people. Or, I think that's where we should start anyway."

Scully's eyes widened in surprise, and admiration... He'd come up with that fast, and it had nothing to do with aliens, or the paranormal, but when she looked at him she realised he was joking. He continued anyway…

"Before you say there's nothing paranormal about my theory – I also have a theory on how this victim died." He pointed to the blood, and then to a piece of broken vase. "Maybe it's someone like Pusher. Maybe he made her stab herself with that, and that's why there are no prints here other than the victims, because _she_ did everything." She nodded, he _wasn't_ joking about the second part.

"I would agree with you, I'd even go as far to say if there was someone else who had abilities like Pusher's. Tricia could have strangled her daughter, and then killed herself. But there are problems with the theory."

"The daughter died second," Mulder said thoughtfully.

"And it's impossible to stab yourself from that angle yourself, and how could you remove your uterus while you're bleeding to death? You just can't. _And_ what on earth happened to it?"

They looked around the apartment, but found nothing that wasn't in the case file. Mulder led a pale Scully to the car, and decided it was time to find somewhere to stay, and get them some food.

"We could stay at that Motel I saw, next to Roxys Diner." Scully suggested. Mulder agreed, and drove straight to it, he noticed Scully smile as the parked, but didn't ask why she was smiling.

"Its pretty, this town; almost too perfect?" she said, the smile still on her face. "I don't mind perfect little Motels like this though," she said as she got out of the car, and she gestured towards the Motel building, and then the gardens beside it.

"Roxys Diner must get a lot of money in from the tourists staying here," Mulder commented as he grabbed his bags. Scully grabbed hers, but didn't answer – she seemed to be lost in thought, looking out at the pretty gardens, and the stone path running through the garden.

Scully decided as soon as she'd had dinner, she was going for a walk to clear her head. Then she was going to have a good night's sleep, and _really _start this case so they could find the _sick_ person who did this. No more getting emotional, because it wasn't going to help them solve this case.

--

"Hey the guy at the office didn't mistake us for a married couple – that must be a first," Scully called from her room. They'd left the door connecting their rooms open.

"Could it be the fact that you still had your FBI jacket on? He looked pretty intimidated."

"Could be," she answered with a laugh. She found some comfortable clothes to wear, and was half way through pulling on her black pants when Mulder appeared in the doorway. "Hey, you could warn me when you're coming in." She pointed out.

"Do you have any toothpaste? I forgot mine." He pretended he hadn't heard her, and seemed to be searching her _body_ for the toothpaste.

"Did you even hear me?" She asked doing the buttons on her pants up, and slipping a blue jersey over her head that matched her eyes.

"Yeah, Scully... I've seen you naked on more than one occasion – does it really matter if I see you getting dressed?" She rolled her eyes, he was right of course. But he should still respect her privacy. She was about to tell him so, but he turned his eyes to hers, and she realised he'd been kidding. "Sorry Scully, I'll warn you I'm coming in next time," she laughed with him, and chucked him her toothpaste from her toiletries bag.

"This place is nice, I like my room." She commented as she lay back on the bed while waiting for Mulder, who had chosen to use _her_ bathroom since it was closer.

"Mm," he said through, what she guessed, was a mouthful of toothpaste. She heard the tap running, and then he came in and lay on the bed next to her. "Yeah, it is nice."

She looked around the room, painted a burgundy red with a quilt on the bed to match. The paintings on the walls were of a pretty little cottage and the other of a border collie, its tongue lolling out to the side, the black and white coat of the dog stark contrast against the bright green of the grass it lay on. She didn't usually pay much attention to paintings, but both seemed to call attention to her. She'd never been in a motel that everything was so _clean_. She touched the silky quilt beneath her with her fingers, and let out a contented sigh. The case forgotten for the moment…

--

"That was the best pasta I've ever had!" She exclaimed as they reached her room later that night.

"Yeah, I have to say – that steak was pretty damn good." But before he could take the conversation any further, she made a quick decision to get him out of her room.

"Goodnight Mulder," she said and pushed him from her room and through the adjoining door so that she could finally go for a walk through the gardens. He gave her a funny look, but said goodnight, and shut the door. She tip toed across to the door, even though she doubted he'd hear her, and clicked the door shut softly behind her.

The cool night air felt nice against her skin and with a full stomach and a beautiful Motel room to go back to tonight… Her best friend, and possibly the man she loved right next door to her – which was better than the arrangement back home… She felt happy. She wandered around the garden, the stars and the almost full moon lighting the path perfectly.

She sat down on a seat next to a small pond. A couple of ducks quacked sleepily, and swam over to her, the water rippling around their bodies. She watched as they squabbled over who got out of the pond first, obviously they thought she had food. She nearly leapt out of her skin when Mulder slipped into the small gap on the chair next to her, and she shuffled over a little making room for him.

"How did I know you were going to come out here?" He watched the ducks waddle up to their feet.

"How did I know that you were going to scare the hell out of me again?" She retorted.

"I don't know… Are you psychic?" They sat in silence for a few minutes, until she felt his fingers entwine with hers. She looked down at their hands, and then up at him. She was surprised, recently he'd been holding her hands, and hugging her a little more intimately than before.

She knew they were attracted to each other. Hell, everyone thought they'd been sleeping together since the first week they had begun working together. But the fact that Mulder initiated all the contact so far surprised her to say the least. She lifted their hands and looked at them.

"Mulder,"

"Yeah,"

"What's this?"

"Well that's my hand, and that's yours." He joked, but he looked at her eyes, and smiled sheepishly.

"No I mean us. I mean this… Oh I don't know." She said, feeling flustered and hoping he couldn't see the blush tingeing her cheeks. Why, when it was important – could she not get the right words out?

"You don't seem to mind," she leant her head against his shoulder.

"I don't mind, at all."

"Then what's the problem?" She decided, no matter how awkward this could make things, the truth was better.

"Protocol Mulder… How can we follow FBI Protocol? It is too much of a temptation for _both_ of us."

"You think we may live up to the rumors?" He said with a chuckle. But when she pulled her head back so she could see his face, he just had a serious expression on his face. "I don't think AD Skinner would mind. Actually, I have a feeling he thinks we're sleeping together as it is." She turned her face into his shoulder and smiled.


	5. Chapter Five

**Authors Note: **_Sorry this chapter may be a little boring. I put a lot about the victims in here… There's quite a bit of MSR too. Tell me what you think, good or bad. :-)_

**Chapter Five:**

Scully found she couldn't sleep when she'd finally made it back to her Motel room. She kept going over the details of the case in her mind, the more she thought about it – the more she thought Mulder's profile of the killer seemed more likely, joke or not it was the most plausible idea. And that thought didn't ease her mind.

Eventually she was so worked up over the case; she just got out of bed and snuck into Mulder's room to find the case file, she had no idea what happened to her copy of it. To her surprise he was actually sleeping, maybe it's because he was in a _bed_ and not on his _couch_. She smiled at his sleeping form before turning back to her room, files in hand.

_--_

_Fiona and Danny Mueler;_ she looked at the photo of a smiling woman with curly black hair, and her six year old son who had soft blonde hair, his fringe in his eyes, a grin on his face. If it wasn't for their eyes, she wouldn't have even thought them related. Both had very green eyes. Neither was remarkable in anyway, and only knew one other victim - Tania through school. Danny and Tania weren't even friends.

_Christina and Jennifer Yung_; neither in the photo were smiling, both had serious expressions on their face. The little girl looked far too mature for an eight year old. The girl had a book clutched tightly to her chest; Scully squinted at the photo, but couldn't read the title. Jennifer was home-schooled and had _no_ connections with the other victims.

_Kelly and Tania McGrath_; sat in swings, side by side, Kelly with blonde hair held in a ponytail, and Tania her six year old daughter held a doll that had curly blonde hair identical to her own hair. Tania seemed to be having the time of her life, and Scully could see chocolate stains on the girl's skirt, and she imagined the little girl's mother scolding her for dripping ice cream onto her clean skirt.

_Tricia and Rachel Farrelly_; well she probably knew most about these two people. Well more than any of the other victims. She'd seen the photos in the house, seen their bedrooms. Tricia with her mousy brown hair, and her hazel eyes matching her daughters, in this photo the wind was blowing her hair across her face, so half her face was hidden. But she could tell she was smiling, and she was hand in hand with her daughter.

--

She felt tears prick her eyes as she spread the photos of the mothers and children out on her bed. She tried to pick out a link between the families, but found nothing. Other than the fact that all the children were still in primary school, only two went to the same school. She took a deep breath, and pulled out the crime scene photos.

The only way they knew that each of these murders was connected in some way, was the _lack_ of forensic evidence, and the sickening fact that every woman murdered had her uterus removed, by a means _unknown._ Scully touched her belly and thought of her own damaged womb. She couldn't have children, but she felt lucky compared the woman mutilated in the photos before her.

The picture that made the tears that had been threatening to fall; slip down her face was the one of Christina and Jennifer. Jennifer was sprawled next to her mother, her hand clamped tightly onto her mothers arm, a look of pure terror on her face.

"Scully," she leapt to her feet knocking the papers and photos to the floor. And looked over her shoulder to see a sleepy Mulder bring his hand across his face… She didn't say anything, just turned her face away so she could wipe away the tears.

When she turned around properly he was coming over, and he sat heavily on her bed, and patted the place next to him. "We need to talk," he said seriously, not giving her a chance to speak, he continued. "I don't think you should be on this case. I want you to go home," she smiled in relief; she thought it was something more serious than that.

"It's okay Mulder, I'm not going home."

"I'm telling you to go. I don't want to work with you on this."

"W-what…?" He didn't want to work with her? She felt her chest constrict painfully.

"I can't watch you break in front of me and do _nothing._ This case is too difficult for you." She felt anger bubble under the surface, and she turned her angry eyes to him.

"I _can_ do this Mulder. I'm not letting my emotions get the better of me."

"I think you are." He gestured to the photos. "You're torturing yourself." She looked down at her hands.

"This case _is_ going to be harder than most for me Mulder. It was stupid of me to look at them, but I couldn't sleep. Just because it upsets me, I won't let it cloud my judgment." She looked at him, tears gone, anger gone – she had her mask back on. "I _can_ do this." She pushed, waiting for him to say something.

"I hope so Scully, I hate seeing you like this." He dragged his thumb along the fast drying tear tracks running down her cheeks. "I'm here if you need to talk. You know that." He smiled, but still seemed pretty sleepy. He lay down and she curled up next to him, his arm draped across her stomach and her hand wrapped around his. She felt more secure with him here, and she felt more confident in her ability to think clearly on this case.

"Mulder," she said after a few seconds.

"Mm," he said sleepily.

"Thank you,"

"You'd do the same for me," she wriggled so that she was closer to him, and silently agreed.

--

**TBC**


	6. Chapter Six

**Authors Note: **Thank you for the reviews! Again: Tell me what you think!

**Chapter Six:**

Mulder watched Scully carefully the next morning, watching for any sign of distress. But she kept her usual mask on… Apart from when he was so busy watching her dress, that while he walked towards his own room, he tripped over a pair of _his_ shoes on the floor. Her face broke into a huge smile, and he had just muttered something about the shoes being out to get him – which made her smile even bigger. She came over and cupped his face in one hand, and ruined the moment by telling him he was a big baby and walked back over to finish getting dressed.

Now as they sat waiting for Officer Clyde to arrive he watched as she flicked through the local newspaper. He watched her squint at a picture, and then held it out to show him a little boy grinning and holding up a trophy. "Spelling Bee, I won one of those once," she said with a quiet laugh.

Officer Clyde rushed in a few minutes later looking harassed. Scully and Mulder stood as soon as they saw how truly harassed he looked. "He's done it again, he's kill – he's killed again." He was slightly out of breath as if he'd been running. Mulder doubted that Officer Clyde was unfit, he was tall, and he'd even seen Scully checking him out when they'd first arrived – he definitely caught the attention of most females.

"Where is it? We'll leave now." He told the officer.

"13 Gracefield Road," he said distractedly looking over their shoulders. "I've told them that you'll be examining the bodies, is that right Agent Scully?"

"Yes, thank you." They moved out of his way as he strode past, and Scully snatched up a map sitting on the coffee table along with the newspaper and some old magazines. "We might need this," she told him, holding up the map; as she caught up with him on the stairs outside the station.

"Might do," he said unlocking the car.

--

The crime scene investigation team seemed to be finishing up by the time they'd arrived. Mulder and Scully were hurriedly taken through the crime scene, and various things were pointed out – but again there seemed to be _no_ forensic evidence. The only prints in the house were the victims; Stella and George Hamilton.

Stella lay on the couch, her arm hanging off the side of it. George looked about six, but was apparently ten years old. He was far too skinny, and pale. He lay in a fetal position to the side of the couch. Her first impression for cause of death was asphyxiation, but she needed to do an autopsy first so she could confirm it. The mother, Stella, seemed to have bled to death.

Mulder was talking intently with one of the officers at the scene, so she wandered over closer to the bodies. She crouched next to the boy, snapping on some rubber gloves she moved the collar of his top away from his neck. Again, looking at the finger marks around the boy's neck. Who ever it was, who had done this had large hands, and of course she assumed it was a man who had done this.

She moved from her crouched position, and took a closer look at the woman. She tried not to think of the victims as 'Stella' and 'George' because she knew she was going to become too involved in the case, she had to find a way to distance herself. Gently, as if the woman was alive, she rolled up the sleeves of her top, and checked for defense wounds, nothing. She checked for bruises on the rest of the body, but it seemed someone had only, rather carelessly like the other victims – removed her uterus. Why would someone do that? She thought back to Tooms who had removed people's livers. But this was nothing like that, this seemed much more personal.

"Scully," She sat back on her haunches, and looked up at Mulder. "They're going to get some suspects in for questioning. Apparently there are _several_ ex-husbands still in town, though not all connected to these cases." He looked at the bodies, and then back at her, his eyes pained.

"Okay, shall I do the autopsies while you talk to them?" Scully questioned.

"Actually I was hoping you would come too this time. We're talking to them this evening, which gives you time to complete the autopsies."

"Why do you need me?" He gave her a sheepish smile.

"You seem to be fairly close to this case. In most ways it's a bad thing – I don't want to see you hurt, and it is _possible_ for it to cloud your judgment." He paused, but continued before she could get upset over his comment. "_But_ I'm not saying that's what's happening to you. I just need someone who knows what we're looking for in a suspect." He held his hand out to her to help her up, but she grabbed the edge of the coffee table and pulled herself up.

"Okay. I don't think I'll be of any help… But I'll see you at the station tonight then?"

"Yeah, I'm going to stay here a while, and then I'll get the files on the men they're bringing in and go over them. See you tonight," he touched her shoulder before she left, and spoke with his eyes, he was concerned for her. He thought she couldn't do these autopsies. She frowned, strangely hurt that he thought she was so weak.

--

"Stella Hamilton," she said into the Dictaphone, and began pulling the sheet off Stella's body. "Thirty Eight years old. Female." She continued listing all the basic information, then moved onto the injury to her belly. "It seems an incision was made into her belly, instrument used – unknown. Uterus was _ripped_ from the belly; killer seems to have no medical knowledge." She took a deep breath before continuing. "Victim bled to death, period of time, unknown. Time of death, within the last six hours…" She re-covered the body and wheeled the gurney into the cooling room where the medical examiners assistant took the body from her.

She found a new pair of gloves, and washed up before moving onto the boy. It seemed the assistant had brought him in for her. She again gave the basic information, and turned to the injuries he sustained. "It appears he was strangled, hyoid bone is fractured." She felt a little sick cutting into the thin flesh of the boy's neck, but without doing that she wouldn't have been able to see the extent of damage to the neck.

Sighing, she finished the autopsy. She had found _nothing_. How would they catch this killer? How could he be smart enough to leave _no_ trace whatsoever? They couldn't lift any fingerprints from the boy's neck; that was the first sign that the killer was even human – the finger marks around his neck. Wait, of course it was _human_… She was beginning to sound like Mulder.

Hungry, even after doing two autopsies, she hurried back to the Motel, using the rental car. She knew she had to meet Mulder at the station in a couple of hours, and she wanted time for a long hot shower and get some food into her stomach.

--

No matter how hard she scrubbed at her skin, no matter how strong smelling the soap, the smell of death seemed to stay on her. But it was probably all in her mind. Dressing in a black skirt that reached below her knees, a white blouse and a black suit jacket over her blouse she blow-dried her hair, and put on a small amount of make-up. But no amount of make-up or neat, business-like clothes was going to make her feel confident about meeting these men tonight. What if one of them was the killer?

**TBC**


	7. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven:**

"Hey Scully," Mulder said as she arrived at the police station. She looked confident, but he recognised this as the mask she wore when she was worried, and wanted to _appear_ confident. It probably worked on everyone _but_ him.

She smiled, and he just smiled back, hiding the concern knowing that earlier he'd pissed her off by just _thinking_ she couldn't handle the autopsies. He wasn't going to make the mistake of _asking_ if she could handle this. He put his hand on the small of her back as he usually did, and led her into the interrogation room, and sat next to her, both across from the first suspect.

--

The men they talked to all seemed shocked, and stricken with grief on finding out about the deaths of their ex wives and their children. The men who were brought in, who hadn't lost their wives or children in the recent murders, seemed just as stricken at being accused.

Mulder exhausted, led Scully from the room. They were half way down the corridor, Scully slightly in front of him when Mulder noticed something strange.

"Hey, wait Scully…" She turned around to him, waiting for an explanation. She looked so tired, and he couldn't blame her for wanting to go home, he felt the same. "Your skirt… Was it always that colour?" She drew her eye brows together in annoyance.

"Mulder now isn't the time for _games_!"

"No, no, Scully wait! I'm serious." He caught up to her, and gently grabbed her elbow, turning her to him. She sighed exasperated, and looked down. After a few seconds of silence she looked up, confusion evident on her face.

"How the hell did that happen?" She paled. Her skirt seemed to have shortened itself so that it was above her knees, and it was a forest green now, not black. She inspected the top of the skirt, and then the hem. "I am _certain_ I was wearing a _black_ skirt. And it wasn't this _short._"

She looked up to see Mulder looking at someone over her shoulder. He was looking angry. "What?" She turned and caught an officer staring at her legs. "Ugh," she grabbed Mulder's arm and stalked out of the station and didn't stop until they reached the rental car.

"They're going to think we're nuts if we tell them one of the men we just interrogated did that." Mulder commented, pointing to her skirt.

"I can't figure it out; I don't know how someone shortened my skirt! Or changed the colour, it's impossible… It can't be the same skirt… I just don't…" she trailed off and looked into their distorted reflection in the car window.

"I think the officers thought you were mental in there," Mulder said with a smirk. "You looked like you were ready to strip the skirt right off. I'm pretty sure when-"

"Mulder, if you don't shut up I'm going to make you scream like a girl," Scully cut in.

"Uh oh, let's just go and get some dinner huh?" He tried making a peace offering.

"The way to a _man's_ heart is through his stomach. Not a woman's." She said dryly. "Just take me back to the motel so I can – ugh!" She staggered and grabbed Mulder's arm for support. "What the hell?" she exclaimed, looking around for what ever it was had bowled into her.

"Did you trip?" Mulder questioned, following her eyes as she looked around. She crouched and looked under the car and then moved towards the nearest fence and looked into a yard, on not finding whatever it was she was looking for, she came back to him.

"Something bumped into my legs, _making_ me fall. I didn't_ trip_…" If it was anyone else, he would have laughed. But he could tell Scully was serious.

"Scully, get into the car," he demanded, going around to the drivers side. He had a bad feeling about this. If this was indeed someone like pusher at work, he needed to get her away from him straight away. Whoever it was seemed to enjoy playing with them, Scully especially. Scully sat in the passenger seat, looking as though the same thoughts were going through her mind.

"Mulder, Pusher had no other relatives. How could this possibly be the same thing?"

"I don't know. But I'm not risking it. It was one of those men today, they were all so goddamn convincing, I have no idea which one, but we're going to have to call Officer Clyde and see if he can do anything to bring them back in."

--

Scully sat on the bed and watched Mulder pace as far as the phones cord would allow him. She was beginning to feel dizzy. "Mulder, sit down."

"I've been on hold for five minutes Scully. This is important, he's going to get away, he's going to skip town!" Scully looked down at her skirt with a frown, Mulder was right. If they didn't do something, more innocent people could die.

"Mulder… Pusher couldn't shorten my skirt. He couldn't do that… He would make _me_ do that. You didn't see me with a needle and thread taking the hem of my skirt up did you?"

"Well… No."

"Then there has to be some other explanation." Mulder looked at her, but didn't really _see_ her, he was lost in thought. He hung up the phone and turned to face her. He looked like he was at a loss for words.

"Okay, I have a wild theory on the _why_ not so much the _how._" Scully told him.

"I'm listening,"

"What if this father lost his wife and child a long time ago, see not all the men we interviewed had lost a wife and child recently."

"Yes…" He didn't seem to see where she was going with this.

"What if someone murdered his wife and child, and now he's somehow trying to right it by killing _other_ single mothers and their child." She knew really, the man should be looking to get revenge on the murderer, but the file stated that the murderer had been shot while resisting arrest. He was _dead_.

"So, this guy, his wife left him, and took custody of his child. Then _someone else_ murdered them both. Now in his twisted mind he thinks killing other single mothers and children will make everything right?"

"Exactly,"

"You don't usually theorize, but I suppose we're both a little desperate." He quickly flicked through all the files of the men they'd interviewed that day. All six of them, they still had two more to talk to the following day, but it seemed they wouldn't have to now.

"Matthew Peterson, ex-wife is Fiona," he handed her the file, but she shook her head. Matthew had been distraught at the station, and she was sure it was genuine, plus it didn't fit with the profile they were trying to test out.

"Hey Scully, listen to this… Trevor Cormac; lost his ex-wife and child to a homicide last year."

"In this town…?"

"No…"

"Why pick this town then?"

"It's his _hometown_." Mulder said with a grimace. "We need to find him…" Scully looked down at the photo, and felt the anger build up inside her. This man, who looked like your average person; short cropped black hair, blue eyes, _nice_ smile, friendly attitude. He'd had them fooled… He'd even _played_ with them, as if this was all a joke.

"I still think we need a how," Scully said looking away from the file and back to Mulder.

"I can't even come up with any crazy theory like I usually do." Mulder said.

"I noticed," Scully said quietly. They sat in silence, trying to figure out how to catch the guy before he did anything else. After a while, Scully again broke the silence. "Have you also noticed that we aren't getting anywhere with this guy by _my_ methods – science; but we aren't getting anywhere by going into the paranormal either, or on any of your crazy – you have to admit they are crazy – theories."

"I agree, but how on earth could this be a typicalserial killer? How can he leave _no_ forensic evidence…? It's basically impossible… Unless…" Mulder leapt to his feet. "What if he's not there at all? What if he just has to _picture_ wherever his victim is for him to attack them?"

"Like in his mind…? Mulder… That's even crazier than usual."

"_But_ it's our best theory yet,"

"Not necessarily the _best_, but surprisingly the most likely." Scully said.

She let him help her to her feet without thinking, and was about to follow him out when she remembered her skirt. "If we have to chase this guy, I'm not going to get anywhere in this skirt. You try calling Officer Clyde again while I change."

Mulder agreed and went into his own room. She left the door slightly open without him noticing, so that she could hear what he said.

"Can I speak to Officer Clyde?" "No, I _really_ have to speak to him, it's important." "Thank you…"

There was a pause, and she quickly zipped up the fly of her pants and went into his room, not wanting to miss how Mulder explained to the officer what was going on.

The room was so silent Scully could hear most of what the officer said into the phone. "Lizzie – George – friends – missing…"

Mulder held the phone away from his ear as the officer kept yelling. He then hung up the phone after assuring the officer they'd help look for Lizzie.

"Seems Lizzie was really upset about George, and she's gone missing. He's worried the killer has taken her."

"He doesn't do that though," Scully said standing, feeling worry nibble at her. What if something had happened to Lizzie though? What if this killer decided he liked killing and would just kill at random?

They were almost to the door when Scully felt something literally pull her back to the bed she'd been sitting on. She let out a yelp of surprise, and Mulder turned around. She was again sitting on the bed, wide eyed in fear. "M-Mulder did you see that?"

"No… Are you coming? What's wrong?" He stood in the door way, eye brows drawn together in confusion. At any other time she'd have thought it looked cute. She attempted to stand, but it seemed her legs weren't going to move.

"I think, I think he has his next target." She tried to remain calm; maybe this guy wouldn't kill her… She felt fear rush through her veins though, and she panicked, attempting to move but only feeling her body ache in protest at the way she was fiercely trying to move her immobile muscles. Mulder rushed over and tried to help her up, but she still couldn't move.

"I have his address, I'll get him Scully," he looked almost as panicked as she felt; she went to open her mouth but found she couldn't. Obviously her eyes said it all, because Mulder literally ran from the room."

**TBC**


	8. Chapter Eight

**A/n: **_Sorry it took so long for Chapter Seven it wouldn't let me upload anything! There should be one more chapter after this. _

_Let me know what you think… I know it happens in most fics – the whole Scully is the 'damsel in distress' scenario… It just came to mind so hopefully you don't mind. _

_Thank you so much for your reviews! I love, love, love getting good reviews – they really make my day!_

**--**

**Chapter Eight:**

Mulder felt terrified, and helpless about leaving Scully there. But it was the only way. He drove as fast as he dared towards the correct street, he didn't want to end up killing himself, because then there would be _two_ dead agents.

He parked his car on the street, and ran straight to the front door of the house, banging on it furiously. "Open the door!" He didn't give him a chance to get out any other way; he kicked the door in, and checked every room, gun drawn and ready to shoot him without hesitation.

He found nothing. He stood in the middle of the man's house, which was mostly bare, and he tried to figure out where the killer would be. He could be _anywhere._ But maybe the killer _watched_ what he was doing; maybe he went to wherever the victim was… Oh god, Scully! She was in danger no matter where this man was, but Mulder was _not_ going to let him kill her.

--

He'd driven even faster back to the Motel; there was a gathering of people outside Scully's apartment listening to her screams. The owner of the Motel looked at him shocked.

"I thought you were…" He looked at the apartment door. And the people surrounding it looked back at Mulder.

"The police are busy searching for Lizzie." An old woman informed him. "They can't come for domestic disturbances."

"That's not what it is! The killer – the one killing those woman and children is after her – oh god what the hell am I wasting my time doing this for?" He searched the faces and didn't see the father they'd talked to. He burst into _his_ room.

Scully was pinned to the wall by her wrists, some invisible force holding her there. She was thrashing her legs around and her mouth was tightly shut, he knew this was of her own will though; she was trying not to scream.

He looked furtively around the room, and touched Scully's arm. The moment he touched her she fell, and he caught her head before it hit the ground. She was panting, and her skin was slick with sweat. He was about to yell for an ambulance, when he felt himself slowly lose control of his body.

First his legs and it slowly moved up so he couldn't even open his mouth to speak, his eyes looked down at Scully's terrified ones. Scully could move now, and she moved sluggishly in his stiff arms, she leant up and crying, whispered in his ear. "I love you," he wanted to answer, wanted to say he loved her too. What if they died? What if she never found out how much he cared for her? He knew he shouldn't be concerned over something like that at this time.

He saw her jerk away from him in pain and by whatever force it was, she flew back until she was thrown backwards, her head made an ominous crack as it hit the wall, and she then sat slumped against it. Her eyes rolling back; he noticed blood seeping from her lower belly, staining her t-shirt. Inside he was screaming, and tears poured down his face from the effort to move, and from the pain he felt for Scully.

He was not going to watch her die, he was going to save her, and he had to save her! He couldn't move. He struggled against the invisible bonds that held him, but couldn't move. Scully lay still and he wasn't even sure she was alive; he felt something cover his nose and mouth, and found he couldn't breath. Panic welled up inside of him, oh God; they were _both_ going to die.

A gunshot sounded, slicing through the air and making both Mulder and Scully slump further from their stiff positions and straight to the ground. Mulder clutched at his throat with his hands, seeing black around the edges of his vision he crawled towards Scully.

He closed his eyes tightly and opened them willing his vision to clear. He still couldn't see well, but he could see her staring back; she blinked, once, twice, she was alive. Scully wasn't dead, she wasn't dead! He tried to smile, and his hand reached out and grasped hers, but his vision blurred, and everything became black.

--

Mulder woke, and straight away recognised that he was in a hospital. He looked to his right and saw Scully. She was pale, and her hair was fanned out around her head on the pillow. His heart lurched at the sight, but she was _alive_ and that's all that mattered. He lay staring at her for quite a while, in his mind going over what had happened. Who had shot the killer? Where had he been? Why did he go after Scully?

A nurse entered the room, and smiled at him. "How are you feeling Agent Mulder?" She questioned, coming over and handing him a paper cup with water. He struggled to sit up, only then realising he was finding it hard to breath. He touched his throat, it ached and felt swollen. His whole body seemed to ache.

"I'm a bit sore." He croaked out, shocked at the sound of his voice. He then nodded his head side ways towards Scully. "Is she… okay… I saw… Did he take her?"

He felt flustered, and though it wasn't like him he felt scared, and he didn't even want to tell the nurse the truth. He was scared to even say the words, as if asking, aloud whether or not the killer had removed her uterus was some terrible crime.

"She came through the surgery fine. It seems he only made the incision, they didn't get around to taking her uterus." The nurse looked at him sympathetically. She paused, and looked at both agents. "How long have you and Agent Scully been together?"

"Uh," he said distracted, his voice still sounding as though he'd been swallowing sandpaper. "We've worked - together for-"

"Oh, sorry I mean how long have you two been in a _relationship_. I figured it'd be against policy." She cut in, but with a smile.

"Oh," Mulder blushed. "We're not. In a relationship that is…" The nurse's eyes widened in shock, and she sat down on the chair between the two beds.

"I could've sworn… I'm sorry," she raised an eye brow. "We were going to have to get a crow bar to part your hands… Are you _sure_ you aren't in a relationship?" She looked over at the still sleeping Scully.

"Is she going to be okay?" Mulder asked, suddenly hitting him how _lost_ he'd be without her. The nurse nodded, and got to her feet when her pager went off.

"She'll be fine Agent Mulder," she winked at him, and left the room, closing the door behind her.

**TBC**


	9. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine:**

Scully wasn't one to feel disorientated after waking for very long. So once she realised she was, yet again, in a hospital bed – she looked for Mulder. She saw him sitting in bed, reading a magazine, a smile on his face. She felt a sharp pain in her belly, and winced as she tried to move so that she could see what he was reading.

She hissed through her teeth in pain as the blankets rubbed against the bandaged wound. Mulder looked over to her, and his smile grew.

But memories rushed back, and the panicked feeling filled her once more. Before she had a chance to cry out, Mulder was sitting on her bed, holding her close, and letting her take in his scent (Discreetly of course) It calmed her, and the memories seemed like nothing as he tucked her hair behind her ears, and cupped her cheek in his hand.

"It's okay Scully, he's dead…" Mulder said consolingly.

"H-how…?" She cursed the shake of her voice, and leant back into the pillows, willing her breathing to go back to normal. Why was she so afraid?

"Scully, relax… You're allowed to be scared and upset – you've just been through a huge ordeal." He frowned and smoothed her hair down, brushing his fingertips across her face. "Officer Clyde will probably come and speak to us about it soon." She nodded and winced as pain shot through her head.

"I don't remember much, apart from the panic, the fear…" She trailed off blushing. "Can you fill me in?" Mulder looked pained, emotionally, not so much physically when she asked.

"I tried to save you, I really did…"

"I know you would've Mulder." She touched his face, realising to any other FBI agents all this touching would be considered strange. To her, it seemed normal. She needed to feel him close to her right now.

The door clattered open, and Scully peered around Mulder to see her Mom standing in the door, worry creases on her forehead. Mulder went to slide off the bed, but she shook her head and sat on the other side of the bed taking Scully's hand in hers.

"Hello, Fox…" She said kindly, and touched his shoulder with her free hand. Mulder smiled and looked uncomfortably between the women.

"I'll just-"

"No," both the Scully's said at the same time. Mulder raised an eyebrow, but as Scully chuckled softly, he relaxed and smiled at her slightly happier face.

--

Maggie stayed for a little while; she kept asking Scully if she was okay, until Scully told her she'd kick her out of the room if she didn't stop asking. Mulder was included in on the conversation, and he hadn't felt so comfortable with Scully and her mother before. Mostly because he spent more time with Maggie Scully when Scully had cancer than any other time…

"Goodbye Dana, call me as soon as you get home." Maggie kissed her daughters forehead, and then Mulder's forehead, Mulder whom blushed furiously.

--

Scully sighed and leaned back into the pillows. They'd both just received their revolting hospital meals, and Mulder was back on her bed again, lying on her good side so that he didn't bump any of the bruises she had received.

He seemed to have fallen asleep. She dragged her finger slowly down his jaw, and her eyes sparkled with happiness. They'd caught him; they'd caught, and killed the sick bastard who killed all those people.

Though; it still bugged her, _how_, how did he do it? But she supposed Officer Clyde would visit them the next day and tell them. Or she hoped he would, now that she was feeling a little better – she wanted answers.

--

"Agent Scully, Agent Mulder." Officer Clyde said, looking a little uncomfortable at the current arrangements. Scully raised her head off Mulder's chest, and it took her a few seconds to realise she was curled up against Mulder.

"Oh," she extricated herself from Mulder's arms, and shook his shoulder gently. "Mulder, hey Mulder…" He didn't wake. She looked over at Officer Clyde who stood awkwardly in the doorway.

"You can sit down; I know how to wake him." She smirked at the officer and yanked a chunk of Mulder's hair making him sit up with a start.

"Scully," he whined rubbing his head. "That was _mean."_

"Officer Clyde would like to speak to us," she said, trying to ask Mulder with her eyes what they should tell the Officer as to why they were in the same bed.

She realised she probably looked crazy, her eyes flicking quickly between the officer and Mulder, and the nodding of her head. Mulder didn't seem to get it, he just shrugged. "We're – um." Scully pointed to Mulder and herself. "I-" she stuttered, and looked at Mulder for help.

"She had a nightmare, I must've fallen asleep," Mulder said nonchalantly. She turned to Mulder and glared at him.

"Oh, okay," the Officer nodded awkwardly, and then in the short silence that followed, Mulder shuffled over so there was a little more space between them.

"Er, his name; Trevor Cormac." Scully nodded, they already knew this. The Officer gave them a funny look. "You already knew that?"

"Yeah," Mulder agreed. "We found his file. His ex-wife and child died in a homicide last year. I guess that's the _why_ answered." He paused. "Though…" and he trailed off. "Why did he remove their uterus?" Scully touched her bandaged stomach, and felt Mulder's hand cover hers under the sheets.

"His wife had a hysterectomy." The officer shrugged. "I suppose he was making his victims more like his wife…"

"How, how did he do it…? How did he kill them?" She _had_ to know.

"We…" Officer Clyde looked at Mulder. "I think Mulder probably has a better idea than _we_ do."

"Cormac had a powerful mind. He could picture something, and it just _happened_." He said simply, as if he was just telling her what the weather was like outside.

"Mulder," she said with exasperation. "I think that's one of the wildest theories you've come up with."

"Then you explain it," he argued.

The Officer stood, and waved to Mulder as he left, leaving him to fend of Scully's biting retort. But instead, she seemed to have come to some sort of conclusion in her mind.

"I can't explain it, your theory is ludicrous, _but_ I see no other way he could do this." He stared open mouthed.

"Not even a minute ago you were saying it wasn't even possible."

"I said its one of the wildest theories you've come up with," she corrected. "I didn't say it was impossible."

"You know what I want to do right now?" Mulder replied with a grin.

"What?"

"Well you've finally come around to seeing things _my_ way I just want to-"

"No, I just agree with you on _this_ case. It doesn't mean I'll agree with _everything_ you believe in." She looked at him, waiting for him to say something.

"As I was saying, now that you see things my way, I just want to do this." He leant forward and pressed his lips to hers.

The door opened with a click, and she pulled away, surprised at herself for returning his kiss, she doubted he'd expected it to be more than a quick peck on the lips. He looked just as shocked as she felt.

It was then she remembered why she'd pulled away, she looked over to the door and saw her mother and AD Skinner, both staring. AD Skinner looked shocked, and her mother was grinning broadly. Fear crept into her, would AD Skinner split them up? On seeing her face though, he seemed to read her mind.

"I saw nothing," he handed the two of them forms, already signed. "Here are your leave forms; I don't expect either of you back until you're fully recovered." He strode from the room and unreadable expression on his face. Maggie came over and kissed Scully, and then Mulder and handed Mulder the flowers she was holding.

"Fox darling you're-"

"Mum,"

"Yes Dana?"

"Nothing," she sighed, there was no point talking sense into her overly-excited mother. Her mother left after a few minutes, seeming to want to leave the two of them in peace.

--

"I've wanted to do that for _such_ a long time," Mulder said leaning so close that their noses almost touched.

"I-" she took a deep breath, and leaned back again. "AD Skinner won't-"

"He saw nothing," Mulder said with a smirk. He waited, and she could see he was nervous despite the smirk on his face. "If you don't want me to, I won't do it again Scully." He said seriously.

"No, I liked it… I'm just not sure what it means, for us…"

"How about we see how it goes?" Scully grinned.

"How about we give it another shot, and make sure the doors locked this time?"

"Sure," he said, his eyes sparkling, and his lips were curving into a huge smile. "There's just one more thing Scully,"

"Yes?"

"I want to tell you this, because… I thought I was going to lose you, but also because I have wanted to tell you for a long time…" Scully waited breathlessly, what if he said he loved her? What would she say?

"If you die, can I have your Stephen King collection?"

"You want my books?" She asked her eyes wide, and disbelieving.

"No, well yes; but that's not what I was going to say. I was just joking with you." She rolled her eyes at him.

"Then what _were_ you going to say?" Mulder licked his lips, and she realised she couldn't take her eyes off his lips, could she resist the temptation to lean forward and press her lips against his… She _had_ to; he hadn't locked the door yet. But she didn't know how long she could hold herself back from him.

"I love you," he blurted out, and then looked shocked with himself, almost as shocked as she felt. "Oh, uh well that _was_ what I was going to say, just not like _that._" He said, anxiously searching her face for her reaction.

"I do too," she said, with a grin. "I can't believe you made such a mean joke before saying that!" She babbled. "It's just like you though…" She trailed off. She always did that, as soon as she said something important, she felt embarrassed and nervous, and kept on talking. Mulder put his finger on her lips, grinning madly.

"The truth is out now," he said, eyes sparkling. "Just not quite the truth we were looking for in the first place," he finished with a raised eye brow.

"If you don't hurry up and lock that door-"

"I'm going, I'm going." He slipped off the bed and locked the door, his bare feet slapping the hospital floors. "You know in sappy romance novels, when they catch each others eyes, and then all the people around them disappear?"

"Yeah…?" Scully asked, with raised eye brows.

"That just happened."

"Do you know why?" Scully asked rhetorically. "Because there _are no_ other people in here," they burst into laughter simultaneously, and Mulder dropped himself back on her bed.

…**The End**

**A/n: **I put Maggie Scully in here because I always thought if I was a mother, no matter how many times my daughter ended up in hospital I would be there to check on her… Lol.

Well this is my last chapter, I enjoyed writing this… I had to put a lot of MSR in here because… Well because I love MSR. But if you don't like it, I could always write an alternate ending without so much… Sappiness in it… Because I think it is pretty sappy…

But yesss: tell me what you think!

- Chrissy.


End file.
